The John Wick franchise has exploded into a global phenomenon, captivating audiences with its breathtaking action sequences and the compelling mystique of its central character. As fans eagerly anticipate each new installment, especially after the release of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, a fundamental question lingers: Who Is John Wick?
On the surface, John Wick, portrayed by the iconic Keanu Reeves, is a figure of lethal efficiency. He’s the Baba Yaga, the bogeyman assassins fear, a multilingual and highly skilled operative dragged out of retirement by a tragic act – the killing of his dog, a final gift from his deceased wife. This act of cruelty unleashes a storm of vengeance, revealing a past shrouded in darkness and expertise honed in the deadliest corners of the world. To get a quick glimpse into the initial spark that ignited this action-packed saga, you can watch Keanu Reeves himself summarize John Wick 1 and 2 in 60 seconds.
However, beneath the layers of tactical prowess and vengeful fury, who is John Wick at his core? Each film subtly peels back another layer of this complex character. Interestingly, Chapter 3 hints at a less explored dimension: John Wick’s intellectual curiosity and his connection to the world of books.
Keanu Reeves, in an interview with Uproxx, revealed an early concept for the character: “In the first script they had John Wick described as working with old leather-bound books and book restoration.” This detail, though not explicitly shown as his profession, subtly informs our understanding of who is John Wick. It suggests a character with an appreciation for history, craftsmanship, and knowledge beyond combat.
This appreciation manifests itself in Chapter 3 when John Wick seeks refuge and resources within the hallowed halls of The New York Public Library.
In a pivotal scene set in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, one of NYPL’s prestigious Research Libraries, John Wick isn’t pursuing weapons or tactical maps. Instead, he requests “Russian Folk Tale, Aleksandr Afanasyev, 1864.” This specific book, within the vast collections of the General Research Division, the Arts, Prints & Photographs Division, The Local History & Genealogy Division, the Map Library and the Rare Books, Manuscripts and Archives Divisions (as detailed on the Research Page), becomes a key to understanding who is John Wick.
To decipher John Wick’s literary interest, Bogdan Horbal, the Curator for Slavic and East European collections at NYPL, delved into the world of Aleksandr Nikolaevich Afanas’ev (1826-1871). Afanas’ev, a renowned Russian scholar (whose name is also seen as Afanasyev, Afanasief, or Afanasiev), dedicated his life to collecting and publishing Russian folklore. His monumental work, Narodnyia russkīia skazki, initially published in eight volumes between 1855 and 1863, comprised nearly 600 fairy and folk tales gathered from across the Russian Empire. This foundational work saw numerous editions and translations, including English versions published in 1915, 1945, 1967, 2006, and 2014. Beyond fairy tales, Afanas’ev also explored Russian folk legends in his 1859 publication, Narodnyia russkīia legendy.
While John Wick’s request for an 1864 edition is slightly anachronistic (no edition of Narodnyia russkīia skazki was published then, though Afanas’ev did publish mythology articles like Skazka i mif in 1864), the choice of Afanas’ev is significant. It suggests John Wick’s connection to Russian culture, potentially hinting at his origins or training. It also reveals a character seeking deeper meaning and perhaps even allegories within folklore, adding layers to who John Wick truly is.
Ultimately, who is John Wick is not just a master assassin. He is a man of hidden depths, hinted at through his appreciation for books and his deliberate choice of reading material. His visit to the New York Public Library and his request for Russian folklore serve as compelling evidence that John Wick is an enigma worth exploring beyond the action-packed surface. Perhaps, by understanding the stories he seeks, we can further understand the man behind the legend.
